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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25336495">Stranger in My House</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/deinvati/pseuds/deinvati'>deinvati</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>AELDWS July 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Inception (2010)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Drabble, Horror, Limbo, M/M, Psychological Horror</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:26:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>502</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25336495</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/deinvati/pseuds/deinvati</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur shouldn’t have to wonder anymore.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Arthur/Eames (Inception)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>AELDWS July 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1827865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt: Perfect Strangers<br/>Genre: Horror<br/>Word count: 250 Words exactly</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My sincere and unending appreciation to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/flosculatory/pseuds/flosculatory">Flos</a>, who doesn't let me settle for less than I am capable of.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Aw, <em>fuck,"</em> Arthur swore as he studied the new apartment complex next to the grocery store. Had that been there last week?</p>
<p>"I'm retired!" he screamed at the building. "I shouldn't have to think about this anymore!"</p>
<p>The people around him started glaring, but that wasn't necessarily an indicator.</p>
<p>"Eames?" he called as he got back to their flat.</p>
<p>"Yes, snookums?"</p>
<p>Arthur froze. "Why are you calling me that? You've never called me that."</p>
<p>Eames raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry. Arthur. Is that better?"</p>
<p>Arthur frowned. "Never mind. Has there always been a building by the grocery store?"</p>
<p>"I have no idea," Eames answered breezily. "Now go change or we'll be late."</p>
<p>He watched Eames closely that night, but he couldn't be sure anything was off.</p>
<p>He'd told Ari there was nothing down in Limbo, but he couldn't know that for sure. He wished he'd kept his totem.</p>
<p>Arthur got his gun out of the safe.</p>
<p>"What are you doing?" Eames asked, alarmed.</p>
<p>"I…don't know—" He meant to add "<em>what's real anymore</em>," but Eames interrupted him.</p>
<p>"Don't. Please, Arthur. I love you."</p>
<p>Arthur relaxed. Finally something reassuring.</p>
<p>"Don't go back to him."</p>
<p>Arthur froze. "Him?"</p>
<p>"The other Eames," Eames begged. "He doesn't love you like I can."</p>
<p>Cold fear flooded Arthur's stomach. "Who are <em>you</em>?"</p>
<p>"Stay here with me," Eames pleaded. "I can make it perfect for you."</p>
<p>"Jesus."</p>
<p>"You <em>have</em> to stay. I'll <em>make </em>you."</p>
<p>Then he pulled Arthur's die from his pocket and locked it in the safe.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was the other option I'd written for </p><p>Prompt: Perfect Strangers<br/>Genre: Horror<br/>Word count: 250 Words exactly</p><p>which I ultimately discarded, but am recording it here because it made me laugh. What? Comedic horror is a thing.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eames agrees it's unwise to flatshare with someone you met through an internet ad, but he's a lucky bloke, and his problem was always money, not people.</p><p>His first impression of Arthur is he's handsome, and lithe, and would look amazing spread out under him. His second: Arthur is a stick-in-the-mud arsehole.</p><p>"I'll take the front bedroom," Arthur announced moments after walking into the flat. "That works better for me. Also, I sleep naked. It's not a come on, and I'm warning you now: if you try anything, I own several weapons and I <em>can </em>kill you. Understood?"</p><p>Eames raised an eyebrow. "Perfectly."</p><p>Then Arthur moved in his clearly-labeled boxes.</p><p>That first night, Eames ordered pizza for both of them and Arthur thanked him, although he didn't eat much.</p><p>Eames never found out about the delivery driver's mysterious car accident.</p><p>Arthur offered to do all the cooking for both of them, and he was quiet and neat. Maybe this could work after all.</p><p>But Eames noticed when his favorite barista went missing.</p><p>"Not a huge loss," Arthur commented. "He never got my order right, and there's no 'e' in 'Arthur'."</p><p>He made liver and onions that night, and Eames thought nothing of it.</p><p>But when the mailman who'd left Arthur's packages in the rain also disappeared, he started to get suspicious.</p><p>"Arthur, this stew looks very...unique. What's in it?"</p><p>Arthur smiled wryly. "Love." His knife flashed. "You should try it."</p><p>He scowled and Eames swallowed, then shoveled in a bite.</p>
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